[Linda513]

Will I get better sound quality on my ipod if I download music from the itunes music store, or copy it from a cd into itunes? Thank you,

 

[jtevol1]

You will definitely get better sound quality getting your music from your CD (aka, "ripping") than downloading music from iTunes. iTunes uses 128 AAC for their encoding. If you use iTunes to rip music, make sure you use a setting that's higher than that (e.g., 192 AAC or higher, 192 MP3 or higher, or even Apple Lossless, which will be the same quality of the original CD).

 

[Linda513]

Thank you!

 

[ZackT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda513 Thank you!

Just to save you a bit of time. Can I suggest you try the 224 AAC setting? Bitrate has been talked to death here but I think most people would say that in a portable situation this is the best compromise between space/battery/sound.

But do a search and read what others have to say.

I use Lossless on my home computer (burning CD's etc) then convert to 224AAC for my iPod.

ZT

 

[sbb]

what is strange is that itms 128 AACs seem to sound better than itunes 128 produced AACs...

don't know why...

 

[Linda513]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackT Just to save you a bit of time. Can I suggest you try the 224 AAC setting? Bitrate has been talked to death here but I think most people would say that in a portable situation this is the best compromise between space/battery/sound. But do a search and read what others have to say. I use Lossless on my home computer (burning CD's etc) then convert to 224AAC for my iPod. ZT

Zach - so before you transfer songs to your ipod, you convert them all to 224aac in itunes, is that correct? That will give you both versions on your itunes and only one on your ipod right?

I tried the apple lossless and I didn't notice enough of a difference to justify the files being 8x as large. Must be these great headphones I just got.

Linda

 

[ZackT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda513 Zach - so before you transfer songs to your ipod, you convert them all to 224aac in itunes, is that correct? That will give you both versions on your itunes and only one on your ipod right? I tried the apple lossless and I didn't notice enough of a difference to justify the files being 8x as large. Must be these great headphones I just got. Linda

Hi Linda,

Yup, if you're gong to convert your CD's then it's worth keeping in mind. There's no point in changing MP3's or AAC's that you already have as they've prob already been downsampled so you'll not have any improvement in quality.

Some would argue with me - but 224AAC is fine for your iPod. Those using Lossless usually have very expensive headphones and amps so it's worth it. But still in my opinion you are hard pressed to tell the difference.

If you are using a Mac there is an awesome script the Blessingx got me that automatically converts lossless files from your computer to AAC 224 then puts them on your iPod then deletes the new files from your computer. I only have a Nano at the mo but what I do is sort by album and select A > E say then set the script going overnight. In the morning I have an iPod fill of 224 AAC's to last me all week.... bliss!

 

[uzziah]

i use eac to rip wav securely

then pop those in itunes, convert a copy to 198kbps VBR

then take that same wav file use flac frontend to convert to flac and delete original wav

in the end i have one copy in flac, one in 198kbps VBR AAC. i use flac at home, and AAC in my shuffle

 

[uzziah]

you should really think about how you want to use your music. do you want to use a cdplayer? use your pc as your home source? i'm very comfortable in my home setup at the moment, using my pc as source at home. i'll be having a chaintech av710 outputting digital (toslink) to a zhaolu dac/amp when i get one

there's lots worth reading. in my mind, it's very much worth it to learn EAC to get it all tricked out, and have a perfect lossless copy of your audio with the tags you want. as you get more and more music, you might consider a dedicated file/data server that you could access; something i'm considering myself